Insight
by straitjackit
Summary: A series of unrelated oneshots for the 30 Word Challenge. Chapter 1: Ace of Spades


Thanks to H Max Marius for the beta, as always!

Title: Ace of Spades  
Prompt: Spade  
Notes: First of unrelated oneshots for the Thirty Word Challenge on tv(dot)com

* * *

They don't realise it, but I record every one of our confrontations. It may seem strange, but it is an excellent way to observe my enemies closely, to search out their weaknesses and decide the best way to get them out of my hair for once and for all.

Preferably in the most painful way possible.

I find it relaxing to compare us to playing cards. I imagine we are simply playing pontoon - the prize not money, but control of Landmark City.

High stakes.

I admit I have been dealt an awful hand; Spydah is, undoubtedly, the most idiotic genius I have ever met. His infatuation with arachnids clouds his judgement, prevents him from thinking properly.

Which is a good thing, I would suppose.

I know Spydah is intelligent enough to overpower me, but hero worship allows me to be the master of the 8 of Diamonds.

Flesh has the same case of hero worship. If he wasn't so strong, I would have ripped his head from his shoulders a long time ago. The massive moron doesn't even listen when I tell him the finer details of our plans. He just sits there, staring gormlessly.

I think those chemicals might have done something to his brain – he wasn't always so dense. He had enough common sense to get himself hired, at any rate.

My 3 of Clubs, poised to attack anything in its way.

Even my own daughter has entered the game. The Queen of Spades lays in wait, hidden somewhere in the deck with her odious boyfriend, the 5 of Spades.

Manning sits beside me, smirking. He has four cards in front of him, split. Two piles, two bets; one worth far more than the other and they don't even realise it.

I can take advantadge of this.

One pile holds his most precious card, the lovely Queen of Hearts. The girl, Lioness, is most graceful and elegant, but she is weak in mind. She cares only about other people, making her an easy target. She doesn't know it yet, but she also holds the key to defeating Manning. He loves her; any fool with two eyes can see that. It makes me sick.

Spydah has a similar fascination with her, almost bordering on obsession. I think this requires further investigation.

The Queen is guarded by the 10 of Clubs, more than a match for Flesh on many occasions. The one they call King has incredible strength, wasted on Manning, but he too has a kind heart. I have watched him carefully – we must simply overpower him. Flesh needed to train more anyway.

I don't understand how these children have grown up so... so _pleasant_. The world around them demands a harsh attitude, a dog-eat-dog approach to life, and we get animal protesters instead.

The other pile is weak. They have more visible flaws, more advantageous weaknesses, and yet they seem to be better hidden from their team-mates. Perhaps it is just because I look for them, but these two could play into my hands so easily.

The Jack of Diamonds sits in wait, always on the lookout for his chance to shine. They don't seem to have noticed, but Hawk is insecure. He constantly makes sure he is acceptable to look at, always tries to impress those around him... Too hard, one might say. He has even realised that by annoying someone, you get attention. I think he may have had a sore lack of it as a child; rich parents, always on the go, never spending time with their offspring... A textbook case.

Did I mention I spent much of my prison sentence studying psychology?

Somehow, a Joker has slipped into the pack. Ever animated, but apparently useless. The Joker holds no value in a game of cards, except as an opportunity for another player such as myself. Shark has talents that they do not seem to have realised; the boy avoids dangerous attacks with ease, sometimes for mundane reasons such as picking a flower. There has to be an explanation behind it. Like the Joker, he always smiles. What is the child hiding that I can use?

In any case, his presence decimates the value of the pile and leaves Manning in a precarious situation.

A card lay discarded under the table. Ah, that is how the Joker slipped into the deck. On the floor lay a King of Hearts – Dragon, possibly. I can't tell if the fool is against me or against Manning; the sign of a truly ruthless mercenary.

Finally, the dealer sits across from us both, working the game like the master puppeteer he is. Manning is so focused on defeating me, he has forgotten about the house. A foolish mistake, and one I will not make.

Lee has five in front of him, all face down. I can't think of what cards have made him so happy, but I am wary. I may be close to losing this game, but I won't fall to Lee. Given some time, I can find out what tricks he has up his sleeve, but I wonder – how much time do I have left? Manning is becoming increasingly difficult to defeat, his determination pushing him to the limits.

I finger my sleeve, searching for the card I have hidden. The secret that will blow Manning out of the water, leaving him high, dry and begging for mercy.

On the next turn, my Ace of Spades comes into play.

-End-

* * *

Which, of course, is Paine himself. 

So, what do you think? Please review, and come back for the next one: Camel!


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